How far is Hojo's really?

[RuthLS]

We are booked at Hojo's for end of May. I have a 3.5 yr old and 5 yr old..both boys. I have the ent rate for 2 nights. But keep in mind the big pool is down. And the pool was one of the reasons we chose Hojos as the other hotels have small pools.

I'm wondering how far it is really...in miles, steps, minutes.

And what hotel really is the closest?

How far is Best Western?? And is it that much closer than Hojo's?

I'm just thinking end of day with no or maybe 1 umbrella stroller might take it's toll on us. Also, Dis is at the end of an 8 day trip..so we may be tired by then.

TIA!
Ruth

 

[hlbtimes2]

This article should tell you more then you need to know about distance! http://www.mouseplanet.com/articles.php?art=mm060329as

 

[ironpig70]

i figured it about 1/2 mile to the middle of the large parking lot on harbour

 

[RuthLS]

This article should tell you more then you need to know about distance! http://www.mouseplanet.com/articles.php?art=mm060329as

Ok, this was perfect. Thanks.

I think, b/c we are getting such a good deal...that we've decided to stay at Hojo's but purchase 2 small umbrella style strollers since we may need them in the parks anyways. It would be cheaper for us to do so..rather than paying the extra hotel costs.

Sooo...what is a reasonable umbrella stroller that will hold a near 40lb and 50lb kid. I have tall kids. And I'd like to keep it under say $30 each. We won't use them again most likely.

TIA!!

 

[pixiewings71]

7 minutes if you walk down the opposite side of Harbor, about 10 if you don't cross at Manchester. Make sure you cut thru at the cab parking right after the bus stop, that will help save those 3 minutes. BW is closer, and there are 3 of them to chose from I think, but the savings at HoJo is well worth the extra few minutes for us.

 

[lindsnlogansmom]

We love HoJo but after a long day at the park that walk about kills us. For some reason that 6-7 minutes feels like about an hour to me.

 

[tortugaverde]

I would recommend you get two umbrella strollers. Our 3 year old and 5 year old were exhausted just walking to the park from the bus drop off area, not to mention all the walking IN the park. If I had a do over, I would have bought another umbrella stroller as we only brought one. It would have saved my husband and I from packing around one kid, while the other one was in the stroller.
I would guess they would hold quite a bit of weight, my kids have sat in the one we have together (to be funny) and combined they weigh close to 60lbs.

 

[RuthLS]

Thank you everyone for the responses.

Now I think we are leaning towards best west park place or desert inn.

I just think that at end of night the kids will be exhausted and we will too.

Why is it so hard to decide??

I'm torn on the stroller things b/c I don't want to spend $100 for strollers we won't use again. The weight limit on most umbrellas is 40lbs.

Like anything, the hotel reviews go back and forth. Some people think one hotel is great and then someone thinks it's a dump.

Which do you guys prefer of the 2?

The other issue we have is that we fly out of LAX on a Wed at 11am. We will have a car. Do we stay that Tues night and drive out early Wed am or do we ckout, spend the day in the parks, then drive to LAX, stay there and have a leisure morning the next morning?

Thanks!

 

[bumbershoot]

Well if you've decided to stay right across the street, I don't know that I personally would buy a stroller just for that walk. I might consider just renting them while in the parks. Of course, if you rent two, that's increasing your cost (they don't have doubles). On the other hand, if you have a Disney Visa you get two free rentals a day.

 

[disney-super-mom]

If it was me, I would never give up a room at the HOJO with an Entertainment rate. It's too good of a deal. I just wouldn't be able to get myself to give it up.

HOJO's other pool, the garden pool, will be open during your stay, and it's also a large pool in a pretty area of the property.....larger and prettier than the little pools at the BWPPI or Desert Inn.

If we're tired or our feet hurt, heck, we just drive over if we have a rental car. I think it's $12 per day for parking, but that beats paying $40-$50 more per night to switch to a closer motel that isn't as nice.

We have a Disney visa, so we've taken advantage of the 2 free stroller rentals per day deal, if our kids needed a break from walking while in the parks.

 

[Barbday62]

I have stayed at both hotels. Ive been to BW Park place about 30 plus nights now over the years and HOJO about 3 Nights. We are staying at HOJOs this weekend because I got the $59 a night. If Price was not at issue for me this trip we would be at Best Western again. I have never had a bad experince there (I do not use thier so called free breakfast because that to me is worthless) I agree with the long walk and small kids being a bit far from HOJO. My husband uses a power chair and I am usually in traing for some sort of Half marathon so the walk to us is nothing. If you cant get a stroller and price is not an issue I would seriously give BW a chance provided they arent sold out. By the way on the internet it may say sold out but we oftne call and still get rooms there all the time.
I love being so close to the entrance at BW, just not at double the cost.

 

[jenjersnap]

Are the visual cues of this short cut through very, very very obvious, both walking to DL and returning to Hojos? I think this shortcut is gonna be important to us with a 7-year old having to drag his feet back there. Has anyone mapped it on the google map image that has been posted? (I'm a visual person. )

Thank you for the mouseplanet article, PP! I am holding ressies for both Hojos and an AP rate at DLH but this made one of my Hojos concerns - the distance - diminish greatly since it appears many rooms at DLH are nearly the same distance. I am still so sad that the sprayground is closed but I am not sure I can justify paying 3 times per night at DLH for a better pool experience.

7 minutes if you walk down the opposite side of Harbor, about 10 if you don't cross at Manchester. Make sure you cut thru at the cab parking right after the bus stop, that will help save those 3 minutes. BW is closer, and there are 3 of them to chose from I think, but the savings at HoJo is well worth the extra few minutes for us.

 

[Jenn1116]

I'm staying at hojos in the winter. DD will be 5 then. If we're tired, or it's rainy we'll just use ART. Seems to me like a lot of people avoid ART, probably because they feel it's too much waiting and time wasting. But the wait has never been too much for me and I'd rather sit on a bench waiting for transit than walk further when my feet are killing me. I've never had a problem with it wasting valuable time either. I still plan to walk mostly. And I just don't see it being worth the cost to be a block closer to the entrance.

 

[S. S. Columbia]

Are the visual cues of this short cut through very, very very obvious, both walking to DL and returning to Hojos? I think this shortcut is gonna be important to us with a 7-year old having to drag his feet back there. Has anyone mapped it on the google map image that has been posted? (I'm a visual person. ) ...

Alex Stroup mapped the "shortcut" using gmap-pedometer:
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=88663

I think this is the same route that pixiewings71 described.

Leave HoJo, cross at Manchester and walk down the side of Harbor without hotels. When you get to the bus stop on Harbor stay to the inside, walk between the benches and the newspaper dispensers (or whatever those are lol), look to the right, you will see taxis sitting waiting for fares on the other side of the fence, take your first right and cross right there.....you will cut thru shuttle drop off/pick up and that will save you about 3 min. making it a 7 min. walk. Just remember where you are cutting thru so at the end of the day you don't take extra steps. There are 3 shuttle circles, you want the middle one. And yes, if you make it to the taxis you're halfway there, just finish the walk and save your $.

HTH

 

[Pamb]

This is our first trip to DL so I am by no means an expert but here is my plan with a 7, 5, and 2.5 year old. I have a double stroller so the kids can take turns in the stroller back and forth from HOJO and in the park. I have planed to have "tinkerbell" surprise us several times so that is something to look forward to as we walk back to the hotel. I am also planning on using McDonald's as a bribe. Once there we are more than 1/2 way back to the hotel and hopefully they can make it the rest of the way. If it is a really bad night, my husband or I will walk back to HOJO's and grab the car to meet the other with the kids and we will ride back.

I would bet you could find a cheep double stroller at a consignment store and use it while there. If you don't want to bring it home with you, post on the board and find a family in need and let them have it when they arrive.

Good luck with your plans!

 

[brenda1966]

Oh wow. When I look at that Hojo's walk all mapped out it looks FAR!

I've done it before and the walk back to the hotel is a bit painful as you're passing hotel after hotel, but for a good rate, like the entertainment rate, it's probably worth it. (And for the pool and hot tub, it is worth it -- but with pool and hot tub being closed, it's debatable, especially with no free breakfast!)

I'm still not certain I understand the shortcut though, even looking at the map. I've always walked on the hotel side of the street and felt safe there because of all of the people walking with me.

Any clues you can give on when to make that hard right turn? Is it really the first place you can walk over toward DL?

And how much foot traffic does this shortcut get? Would a woman and a small child be safe walking it alone at night back to the hotel?

TIA

P.S. worst case scenario -- we take a cab back to Hojo's from DL at night

 

[jenjersnap]

Alex Stroup mapped the "shortcut" using gmap-pedometer:
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=88663

I think this is the same route that pixiewings71 described.



HTH

YEAH, perfect! Pixiewings71's directions in this thread were not as detailed as the ones you posted and I couldn't visualize it. Both help me immensely. Thanks to both of you!

 

[pixiewings71]

That map is it exactly, and I can't get much more detailed than I did. LOL Once you've done it it makes a lot more sense. I'm not trying to convince anyone to stay at the HoJo but that short cut really does help. And fwiw, I'm a short slender gal and I wouldn't feel at all worried doing that walk with my girls by myself at night. There are tons of people walking thru the shuttle area, both CM's on the way to the CM shuttle and guests leaving for the night. Walking down the street there aren't as many people but it's well lit and I've never felt threatened, I've always felt I was visible and there aren't really any hidden corners or hiding spots I've ever seen. I would not hesitate to do it myself.

 

[jenjersnap]

That's good to know since I will be walking back by myself one night. As the only thrillseeker in my family, I am going to stay after the fireworks and try to get my Space Mountain, etc. in before the park closes while DH takes the boys back to the hotel.

(I meant that the directions I quoted from you earlier in this thread were different than the one S.S. Columbia posted, lol. Maybe you edited those this thread later but I had never seen the more detailed one until S.S. posted them. Clear as mud? I feel so misunderstood. Thanks again!)

That map is it exactly, and I can't get much more detailed than I did. LOL Once you've done it it makes a lot more sense. I'm not trying to convince anyone to stay at the HoJo but that short cut really does help. And fwiw, I'm a short slender gal and I wouldn't feel at all worried doing that walk with my girls by myself at night. There are tons of people walking thru the shuttle area, both CM's on the way to the CM shuttle and guests leaving for the night. Walking down the street there aren't as many people but it's well lit and I've never felt threatened, I've always felt I was visible and there aren't really any hidden corners or hiding spots I've ever seen. I would not hesitate to do it myself.

 

[disney-super-mom]

I walked back by myself after the fireworks just a couple of weeks ago and felt perfectly safe.